Before Professor Straubhaar’s RTF 305 class, I did not have any experience with blogs. I have never blogged before, followed one, or even really understood what they were. I thought the blog system was positive in that it made me, and I’m sure other students, think about what we learned in class in a different light and more in depth. I didn’t experience many difficulties with the blogs. I found it was easy enough to set up and use. I found the more interesting prompts were those that allowed students (“bloggers”) to select a favorite movie or show and use concepts learned in class to explain them. Take for example, the three act narrative blog, the sitcom blog, and the film shot blog. I would definitely recommend the blog system for future classes. Before the first blog, I was not excited, but I turned out to enjoy it more than writing or typing up a paper and physically turning it in. Blogging served to be much more convenient for me, having a little over more than half a week to complete and submit the assigned blog each week. The only advice I have to improve the blog system for the future would be to get the blogs graded each week, instead of all at the same time at the end of the semester. That way, if a student was not completing them correctly, they would promptly find out and be able to fix it in the next one. It would be nice to be able to track the grades so students can have a better grip on their grade in the class. No, please do not use my blog in a paper or report, or any other form of formal documentation. Thank you.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Hybridization
Globalization is “a process of increasing interconnectedness among nations, cultures, and people” (Straubhaar). It is when a concept reaches the boundaries of its original country or region and extends to others. Hybridization also goes hand in hand with globalization. Hybridization is “taking an idea or formula that proved successful in one place and adopting it in another (ex. genres, scripts, concepts)” (Straubhaar). There are millions of examples of hybridization, like NBC’s television show America’s Got Talent. This is a show that allows the common American to demonstrate a talent in front of a panel of judges (who are currently Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne, and Howie Manel) who decided if the talent is good enough to continue on to compete against others for a monetary prize. The show was created by Simon Cowell, who knows the concept of globalization well. This show has gone global, for instance take Britain’s Got Talent. Simon’s other show, American Idol has gone global, with shows as far as the middle east.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Advertisement:Huggies® Jeans Diapers
Advertising is meant to be powerful and persuasive…and in many cases, it is. As Douglas Kellner says, “advertising tell us that to be up-to-date, we must be fashionable, we must buy and exhibit all the latest products and fashions” (331). This is exemplified in television ads, which are “mainly image based, creating associations between products and desired conditions, such as happiness and success” (333).
Advertising has many appeals such as sex and affiliation, nurture and guidance, achievement and attention, safety, and curiosity, etc. The appeal I will expand upon is nurture and guidance, such as in parenting. There are many ads that aim toward parents, selling products that will “make” them be better parents to their children. Whether or not the product being sold is a necessary object (but just a new, more expensive version) or a totally new item, it will reach the minds of parents because they are constantly looking for something that will make them feel like they’ve become a better parent. Even when their baby is happy, the parent wants to make the baby happier.
A recent advertisement that I have found persuasive is one of Huggies® television commercials for their new Jeans diapers. In this commercial, a boy toddler is walking down the street, showing off his new jean diaper, stopping everyone in their tracks, making them stare in awe. The boy appears to be very content with his new fashionable diaper and the attention he is getting with it. This image paired with the voice-over comments (“When it’s number two, I look like number one” and “I poo in blue”) make for a rather persuasive advertisement. It insinuates that if toddlers wear these diapers, they will feel cool and be happier.
This ad exemplifies the appeal of nurture and guidance in that it makes parents feel like if they buy these diapers, their toddlers will get more attention, boosting their confidence (both the toddler and the parent) and make them (the parent) feel like they are better nurturers to their child. By dressing their child in this diaper, the parent will provide guidance for their child and for themselves to be hip and up-to-date with fashion and society.
Check out the video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ0M9CBEkw0
Monday, November 1, 2010
Three Act Narrative - The Proposal
Hollywood’s Three Act Narrative derives from the Classical Tragic structure. The Tragic structure consists of the rising action, the climax, and the falling action. In this format, the climax of the film resides in the middle. This is where the Hollywood Three Act structure differs. The climax is shifted towards the end, providing a happy ending. It is used for quest and triumphant stories, like for example, Anne Fletcher’s 2009 movie, The Proposal. This movie consists of the three parts Professor Ramirez-Berg explains, the introduction, the complication, and the resolution. These three parts are separated and transitioned by plot points, which propels the action in the current act into the action of the next act, typically by asking a question that the following act will answer.
The Introduction
The introduction of a film typically spans the first 30 minutes. In The Proposal, I have found that the introduction lasts just for the first ten minutes. In the introduction, the audience is introduced to the two main characters, Margaret and Andrew. Margaret is a controlling book editor and Andrew is her assistant. Margaret is faced with a sudden problem – she is going to be deported back to Canada. To solve this problem she tells Andrew that they are going to get married so she can stay in America and keep her high-powered job. When he objects, she gives him an ultimatum: marry her or his dreams of being a book editor will be forever lost.
The Complication
This second part usually lasts from the 30 minute mark to the 60 minute mark. In this particular movie, the second part takes up the majority of the movie, from the end of the introduction to about the 80 minute mark, when the climax occurs. The two go to Andrew’s hometown for his Gammy’s 90th birthday and announce their “engagement.” From this point to the rest of the introduction, the “happy couple” go through the motions of an engagement with Andrew’s family until the actual wedding, when Margaret realizes just what she’s putting Andrew and his family through, walking away, leaving Andrew alone at the altar.
The Resolution
This last part of a film typically lasts for the last 30 minutes of the film. In this movie, the third part lasts for the last 15 minutes. After Margaret leaves Andrew to save him from marrying illegally, he realizes that he actually does love her. He flies back to New York after her and asks her to marry her for real.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Sitcoms - Repeated Patterns
Sitcoms are characterized by many aspects such as being a half hour comedy, episodic, consist of the modified three-act structure, and that they cycle through repeated patterns. Repeated patterns are usually in the form of a daily routine the characters of the show go through. This provides a familiarity to the viewers even though the plot/conflict is different in every episode.
Season 2 Episode 21
For example, take the TV show, The Big Bang Theory. Physicists Leonard and Sheldon accompanied by their friends Howard (a mechanical engineer) and Rajesh (an astrophysicist) have several patterns that they cycle through in the majority of the episodes. After spending time on their own research, they all join together at Leonard and Sheldon’s apartment to each take out, play video games, watch sci-fi movies, and go to the comic book store…and of course talk about Penny, the blonde who lives across the hall. So even though each episode presents a different obstacle than the last for these characters, they still go through their repeated routines that are characteristic to the show.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Film Shots and Camera Angles - A Walk to Remember
In film, there are three different main shots filmed – the long shot, medium shot, and close up. Each type of shot holds a specific meaning and message. There are also three camera angles – the eye-level angle, high angle, and low angle. To show these aspects of the film language I have taken pictures of shot from the film, A Walk to Remember (2002).
The Long Shot
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The long shot you see above is from the scene, “Not Going Anywhere,” which takes place after Landon’s dad says he is the wrong type of doctor and cannot help Jamie, Landon’s girlfriend, who has Leukemia. The use of the long shot here, represents how Landon is dealing with Jamie’s situation. He is sad that he cannot help her, he is sad that his dad will not help him to help her, and he is alone. In this shot, Landon is standing in front of open water, without any activity, showing isolation. The high angle takes power away from the subject – it is out of Landon’s power to help Jamie…at least medically.
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The medium shot is the information shot. It shows information about the relationship between characters, usually who is the most important, the most powerful, or the leader(s)/follower(s). It is the most utilized shot in film.
The medium shot above is from the scene, “Appropriate Punishment,” which is the scene that shows the community service hours Landon has to complete. He is completing janitorial work when his friends walk in and poke fun at Jamie for being such a devout Christian and nerd. This shot shows the power lines between the group: Dean (in the middle) is the leader and Eric (left) and Walter (right) are the followers. Even just the fact that Dean is in the middle and closer to the camera, shows that he is in charge. The slight low angle gives the subject power – in this case the power Dean has over his friends and “victims.”
The Close Up
The close up shot show important details, especially about feelings and emotions.
In this close up from the scene, “Jamie’s Confession,” Jamie confesses to Landon that she has Leukemia and has stopped responding to treatments. After hearing this, Landon seeks help from his dad, who is a cardiologist, but is shot down. His solemn drive home is filmed using the close up shot. This type of shot allows the audience to see his emotional state, one of sadness. The eye-level camera angle allows the audience to identify with Landon and what he is feeling at this point of the film.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Star System
An important aspect of Classical Hollywood studio system was the star system, which was the “film studios’ use of stars’ popularity to promote their movies” (Media Now, 192). Studios would take young actors and actresses with promising potential and create a persona for them, and in many cases, even give them a new name. Studios used this system to make and control iconic actors and actresses to make as much profit off them as they could. I find that the star system is extremely important to take note of in order to understand how film studios of the Classical Hollywood operated.
The star system affected what kind of movies the studio made. Once the studios obtained actors or actresses and created a persona for them, they would then make movies in a genre to go along with the persona. If they had a beautiful young actress, the studio would make romantic films starring said actress.
A great example of the star system is the beloved Judy Garland. She was born Frances Ethel Gumm and was discovered as a young teenage girl with a voice by MGM. She signed with MGM and it was at the time that her name was changed to Judy Garland. MGM proceeded to give Judy the young, cute, “girl next door” look. MGM used this image to promote their films that they put her in, like The Wizard of Oz. The studio doctors even gave her pills to slenderize her figure and keep it that way. This only contributed to her life-long drug addiction.
Judy Garland 1941
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